dallied

past tense of dally
1
2
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dallied
Verb
  • Not in any explicit way—my father wasn’t the cranky, alcoholic ex-minor league baseball player who drove around Los Angeles with his pool cleaning equipment in the back of his Cadillac convertible played by Matthau.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Verma played a key role in setting the Proteas a challenging target after the final was delayed by two hours because of rain.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • After improvements in passenger totals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, San Jose and Oakland both began to suffer slumps in 2024 and the weakening pattern has lingered well into 2025, a review of official airport statistics shows.
    HECTOR AMEZCUA, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Still, despite the trauma-thirsty embrace of Luke’s story from the media, the music lingered.
    Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Albernaz, who flirted with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins last winter, tied the knot with the Baltimore Orioles last week.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Dick’s has flirted with same-day delivery before.
    Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.
    Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
  • According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
  • Republicans refused to pass a funding bill that funded the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while Obama and Democrats pushed back on proposals put forth by GOP lawmakers that would have defunded or delayed it.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Russian state media has acknowledged the Belgorod was also delayed in part by the pandemic.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In that pic, Fletcher lounged on the end, giving a thumbs up.
    Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
  • As the action took place, the fashionable crowd lounged on the beautifully landscaped outdoor dining area, grazing on the pies and taking pictures of the sea.
    Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Though some institutions have welcomed workers’ unions, others have dragged their feet.
    News Desk, Artforum, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Knocked unconscious, Will is then dragged by the Demogorgon to the lair of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
    Ellise Shafer, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Dallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dallied. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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